[REBOL] Re: REBOL-SIMPLE dialect
From: greg::schofield::iinet::net::au at: 11-Aug-2008 23:24
--- Message Received ---
From: Henrik Mikael Kristensen <henrikmk-gmail.com>
To: rebolist-rebol.com
Reply-To: rebolist-rebol.com
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:45:36 +0200
Subject: [REBOL] Re: REBOL-SIMPLE dialect
Henrik:
I think this might not be a good idea (surprise :-)). We all come from
different environments of programming and we all have different ways
to handle the languages that we've programmed in before REBOL. I often
observe people learning REBOL asking, why doesn't it do this or that
like C or Java does? Why doesn't it have regexp or why doesn't it do
classes like Java does, because the beginner is used to those things
from other places. And the truth is that many languages borrow
concepts from eachother, where such questions may make sense.
I think you might have missed my point. I used REXX as an example because it is a simple
no fuss language that I am familiar with. Perhaps that was a mistake. What I should have
said was that REBOL-SIMPLE could be a dead simple language that in all the superficial
ways looks like REBOL.
In otherwords abstract from all the languages and establish the most basic simple to
use lanaguage/dialect designed to lead into REBOL proper. The way I am seeing it is as
a tool to bring not programmers, or scriptors to REBOL, but computer users and absolute
novices to using any language. Iterations, conditionals, assignments, simple maths, using
a rich set of functions to do what is required, and typeless data (sorted out at the
dialect function level).
The beginner you are refering to is someone who is already scripting/programming.
REBOL's dialecting ability is potentially an open door to people who have never thought
they could program. I am talking of simpliest concievable language that at it simplest
level relies on having a huge number of functions that can be called in one line.
As I suggested in a previous post addressed to Carl, really it would have to be dialect
that supported three distinct levels. The top level (the simplest) producing a framework
for using functions, another level, more function orientated a set of useful tools to
get functions written easily, and at a slightly more complex level than the top level.
The last level just REBOL wrapped as a function to fit in with the rest.
It would not be REBOL but a mix.
The idea would be that a complete novice could rough out a script that worked and then
concentrate on those things as fragments using more more REBOL to get there, without
writing a full REBOL script from begining to end.
It may prove too complex, it may just be silly, but it might be something. Considering
what is being done to the new VID it may fit in well - that is a simple GUI method mixed
with a simple scripting framework that fragments the harder parts as required.
If that could be cracked, the advantage would be that REBOL would not be recruiting REBOLers
from amongst existing programmers and scriptors (though they would come too) but people
who need to get their computers doing stuff that they need easily.
